BRIGHTON — Two women employed by the Adams County assessor have sued him, alleging he repeatedly engages in sexual “humor” that demeans women.

They also allege that Assessor Gil Reyes retaliated against one of them for taking a medical leave for diabetes treatment and that he compelled all employees to sign a statement that he could fire them at any time for any reason.

The lawsuit cites six examples of sexual remarks and one ethnic insult.

The plaintiffs, Ruby Lucero and Linda Frank, say Reyes suggested one employee’s “butt was probably as white as her legs and feet” and told another her “butt is so small that you keep sliding off your chair.”

They say he called another employee “the office trollop,” castigated an employee’s son as “nothing more than a sperm donor” to his child and remarked to two married women who were talking to a deliveryman that “you two can’t take him home with you.”

Lucero alleges that when she tried to help a bilingual customer, he sent another employee to the front desk, remarking that the only Spanish phrase Lucero knew was “yo quiero Taco Bell” — I want Taco Bell.

Lucero, who has worked for the assessor’s office since 2003, alleged that she “has overheard or been told of comments by Mr. Reyes about the sex, race, size of women, and the stupidity of people in the office on almost a daily basis.”

Reyes was ill this week and could not be reached for comment.

The state Division of Property Taxation is investigating Reyes’ office to determine whether he gave tax breaks to leading contributors.

The investigation came in response to a Denver Post report that, among other things, found a California-based warehouse company had won appeals that reduced its yearly property taxes more than $800,000 after the company, its affiliates and officers donated a total of $14,000 to Reyes’ 2002 and 2006 campaigns.

Reyes requested the investigation. So did a citizens’ group headed by former Thornton Mayor Noel Busck. Lawsuit plaintiff Linda Frank is Busck’s daughter.

Lucero alleges that Reyes demoted her last year after she applied for intermittent time off under the Family Medical Leave Act of 1993 for diabetes treatment.

According to her suit, Reyes called her into his office a week after she informed the county of her intended leave and insisted she sign a “performance contract” as discipline for tardiness and poor performance.

The lawsuit also challenges a 2009 memo that Reyes told all employees to sign that “you may be terminated by the Assessor for any reason, with or without notice.”

David Olinger is an investigative journalist who has worked for newspapers in New Hampshire, Florida and Colorado since 1976. In 18 years in Colorado, he has covered a variety of subjects for The Denver Post.

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